The 'Dear Viv' Letters
Redcliffe, 1950
Letters from a guest house.
The 'Dear Viv' Letters.
An unfolding story set in a 1950s Queensland guest house,
told through the letters Lil writes to her sister Viv about the guests,
the dramas, and the secrets she begins to uncover.
A reason to check the letterbox.
For readers who enjoy character-driven stories, old correspondence, social history
and the small dramas of everyday life.
Lil is starting over in her middle years.
She has arrived in Redcliffe to take up her late aunt’s old guest house by the sea, and each month she writes to her sister Viv with the latest news about the guests, the small dramas, the things people say, and the things they would probably rather keep to themselves.
The story unfolds over 12 months.
What arrives each month.
Each month, the next letter in the story arrives by post, printed in a cursive style and accompanied by a greeting card featuring one of my original artworks. The story unfolds over twelve months, with every subscriber beginning with the first letter and following Lil and her guests in sequence.
Some people subscribe for themselves, while others give The 'Dear Viv' Letters to a parent, grandparent, older relative or friend who enjoys stories, correspondence, or the world of the 1950s.
Australia: $200 AUD for the complete 12-month series, which works out to about $17 AUD per monthly instalment, including a different card that can be sent to someone else or keep, featuring my own original artwork.
International: $240 AUD for the complete 12-month series, including additional postage. For US readers, that is currently around $14 USD per monthly instalment, depending on the exchange rate for a year-long story delivered by post, including a different blank greeting card featuring my own original artwork. Yours to keep or gift.
How The 'Dear Viv' Letters began.
The Dear Viv Letters began as something I created for my mother. I wanted to give her a story she could enjoy gradually, with each new part arriving through the post rather than all at once.
From that idea came Lil, her guest house in 1950s Queensland, and the letters she writes to her sister Viv about the people who pass through her door.
What began as a personal gift gradually became something I wanted to share with other readers who might enjoy stepping into Lil’s world every month.
Would you like to read where Lil’s story begins?
The prequel follows Lil on the eve of leaving behind everything familiar and setting out for the guest house in Redcliffe.
If you would like a glimpse into the story before subscribing, you can read it here.
More from Kym
The Dear Viv Letters is one part of my wider creative world, where I share vintage stories, watercolour artwork, handmade projects, and notes from my studio.
Kind Words from Subscribers
Receiving The ‘Dear Viv’ Letters is such a delightful experience. It’s a little escape from the day and I cherish that. Each letter comes tucked inside a stunning botanical artwork greeting card featuring the author’s artwork. Karen S. Canada
The 6-page letter features a beautiful cursive script and the story had me enthralled within seconds. It felt like it was personally written to me and I was sorry when it ended. I cannot wait for the next letter to see what comes next. Elsha P. Melbourne
My daughter gifted me this subscription for my birthday. It was very meaningful and such a unique gift. As I was reading, I was able to reminisce a little as the 1950s was a special time in my life. Can’t wait for the next one to arrive. Judy Q. Melbourne.
The Dear Viv Letters are absolutely amazing. So real and captivating. I find myself eagerly waiting for each new one to arrive! Greg C. Victoria.
I'm Kym.
I'm an artist and a storyteller. I don't know which I like better, so I do both.
I was born in the 1950s and influenced by the 60s and 70s. I grew up watching my mother, my grandmothers and the women around them live lives that went largely uncelebrated. I've been writing about them ever since.
I write fictional letters from a 1950s Queensland guest house and create greeting cards from my original watercolour artwork to go with them. It started as something I made for my mother and it's grown into something else.
When I'm not writing or painting, I'm probably at a vintage market, picking up things that belong to someone else's story.